In Summary
- CR7 has been a consistent name on the nominations list for football’s most prestigious individual award.
- Ronaldo is currently at Al Nassr in Saudia Arabia making headlines.
Christiano Ronaldo one of the most decorated football player of all time has missed the Ballon d’Or Shortlist marking end to an era.Ronaldo is currently at Al Nassr in Saudia Arabia making headlines.
Ever since he first started tearing it up at Manchester United in 2003, CR7 has been a consistent name on the nominations list for football’s most prestigious individual award.
However, his 2023-2024 season was underwhelming, his move to the Saudi Pro League shrouded in controversy after a dramatic exit from Erik ten Hag’s set-up at Old Trafford, after which he failed to make an impact on the World Cup with Portugal.
Messi, Haaland In Tight Race
Meanwhile the Ballon d’Or 2023 ranking put Lionel Messi ahead of Erling Haaland to eighth Golden Ball as Man City dominate potential nominees.
Messi did his best to throw an eighth Ballon d’Or away with his stuttering form during the second half of the 2022-23 season, but in the end his iconic World Cup win is likely to be enough to earn him yet another Golden Ball.
With it now more likely than ever that he is done with European football, though, does it mean it will be his eighth and final win of the award? His early form for Inter Miami suggests he can still produce unstoppable performances regardless.
Erling Haaland of Man city broke countless records over the course of last season, and there was a time in late April that it seemed inevitable he would move to the top of the Ballon d’Or rankings come the end of the campaign. In 2022-23, He managed 56 goals, nine assists and Won Champions League, Premier League and the FA Cup.
Another decorated player is Kylian Mbappe who himself believes he has done enough to win the Ballon d’Or in 2023, and it isn’t difficult to build a case for him to do just that.
He scored over 50 goals for club and country, won yet another league title, and won the Golden Boot at the World Cup after scoring a hat-trick in the final.
